


A Mother's Lessons

by ginnekomiko



Series: A Mother’s Lessons [1]
Category: InuYasha - A Feudal Fairy Tale, Otome Youkai Zakuro
Genre: Gen
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2014-11-13
Updated: 2017-03-17
Packaged: 2018-02-25 07:11:03
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 5
Words: 2,666
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/2612894
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/ginnekomiko/pseuds/ginnekomiko
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>An AU where InuYasha was raised by Sesshomaru's mother after Izayoi died. POV Sesshomaru's mother.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Chapter 1

She watched the two boys play together. Brothers; well, half-brothers. They wrestled and snapped at one another. Her boy was decidedly stronger, easily pushing down the younger one so that his belly showed.  
  
“No fair! No fair! You cheated!” the younger brother said. His white ears lowered.  
  
“I did not,” her boy said. Only a hint of emotion escaped his voice.  
  
The younger boy looked up at her, his gold eyes watering. “I’m not weak! I promise!”  
  
Her eyes conveyed what her words could not. _Show me._  
  
She knew what others thought of her, what her own son thought of her, that she was a fool to take charge of her husband’s hybrid bastard.  The boy belonged in neither world. Too demon looking for the humans and too human smelling for the demons. A charity case.  
  
Her boy approached her. Gently she stroked his hair. “You did well, Sesshomaru.”  
  
 He scoffed. “It’s not hard to beat a half-blood.”  
  
“Least one so young,” she mused. She felt the hair on the back of his neck stand up.  
  
“It’s not my fault he’s weak! He’s a guest in our home and needs to learn respect!”  
  
“Calm down before you transform completely,” she said. “You’ll embarrass yourself in that state.”  
  
The boy paused and then regained his more humanoid form. “Forgive me, mother.”  
  
“I will, but like it or not you two are blood.”  
  
Sesshomaru snorted. “I do _not_ like it.”  
***  
Some years ago, she had approached her husband’s human lover as a curiosity. Just what was it about this woman that caught his interest?  She was pretty for a human. She’d grant her that much, but why else? Dignified, she had to look dignified.  
  
The human woman noticed her in her doorway and smiled.  “Hello.”  
  
“Good day,” she said, keeping her voice even.  
  
“Oh my, what lovely eyes you have. Are you a friend of the general’s?”  
  
The Lady felt her eye twitch. Calm, she had to stay calm. The human must not have known about her. “I’m his bride.”  
  
“Oh, I see,” said the woman, still smiling. “How do you do?”  
  
“That depends largely on how you answer this question. Just what are you to my husband?”  
  
“I’m not sure. I think ‘companion’ is the best word. I offer him shelter when he travels his territory, and I enjoy his company when he visits me. He tells such interesting stories.”  
  
The lady snorted. “I’m sure you do.”  
  
“My lady, I assure you my relationship with the general is platonic.”  
  
“Very well. I’ll believe you, for now,” she felt her face changing into her more bestial form, “but if I catch whiff of that changing, I’ll _kill_ you!”  
  
The human woman still smiled gently. “Very well, would you like some tea?”  
  
The lady regained her form. “Oh, yes please.”  
  
“Come and sit down, won’t you?”  
  
That was how the two of them met.  
***  
The words ran over and over again in her mind.  
  
 _You have no hope of future children._  
  
“Hello, my Lady, what brings you here today?” Izayoi asked.  
  
“I have a favor to ask of you.”  
  
“And what would that be, my lady?”  
  
“Please bare my husband another child.”  
  
Izayoi paused. “Oh my, but did my lady not threaten to kill me if our relationship turned romantic?”  
  
“I did say that, but now the circumstances have changed. I… I can’t have any more children.”  
  
“My poor lady, but why choose me?”  
  
“Because I trust you, for a human, anyway and he likes you as well.”  
  
“My lady flatters me.”  
  
“So will you do it?”  
  
“Yes. If that is what you ask of me, but what shall become of the child? Won’t it outlive me?”  
  
“I will raise him when you no longer can.”  
  
“Ah, so you want it to be a boy? I’ll do my best.”  
***  
It was only a few short years after the birth of her son that. Izayoi had died. The lady hid behind her trained face. It wasn’t fair. Human lives were much too short. There were so many more stories she wanted to share with her, so many more things to talk about.  
Still, a promise was a promise, and she aimed to keep it. Now where was that boy of hers?  
  
“Momma~” the small voice wailed.  
  
“You’re mother isn’t here anymore,” she said, trying to keep her voice authoritative, but calm.  
  
His eyes though still moist with loss, seemed to understand he could not cry much longer. He was a small thing, but the white hair and gold eyes were unmistakable. The two ears at the top of his head were an oddity, but they added a certain charm.  
“Come with me, InuYasha. It’s time to go home and meet your big brother.”  
  
“Yes, lady,” he said as he took her hand.  
  
InuYasha had known of the deal for awhile now, but neither had expected to have it in effect so soon. Still, his little hand was so trusting and warm.  
***  
She watched the boy called InuYasha adjust to his new surroundings. He was weak, but he would be stronger. Unlike her own son, Izayoi’s boy strived to improve. He learned quickly even, Sesshomaru was beginning to notice he was getting smarter about how he chose to fight. Even if he was on his own, any opponent would have a tough time killing him.  She would keep this boy alive, for her sake and for Izayoi’s.  
  
She saw little shades of her old friend in her boy. He loved to hear stories, and when he enjoyed something, he laughed in the same way she used to, but it wasn’t the same. Now that her husband was gone, all she had left to remember them both were the children they left behind in her care.  
  
She would not dote or coddle, but she would teach them and shelter them in her own way until they were grown. When she was done, her two sons would be a force to be reckoned with. They would make their parents proud.


	2. Plaything

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Of all the things the boy could have saved from his old life....

  
The lady watched her two charges play. Not together, they never played together. Yet, they were always in the same room on opposite sides. Her son was practicing with a wooden sword while Izayoi's son bounced a ball against the wall of the room.  
  
The ball was of particular interest to her. Of all the things the boy could have saved from his old life, he chose that toy as his only comfort and reminder.  
While he was out, she looked over the ball. It was simple and colorless; nothing was special about it at all. Except....  
  
Her scent.  
  
Even now, Izayoi's smell still lingered.  
  
The lady could picture it now. The boy must have spent many happy afternoons with his mother and this toy.


	3. The Demon Market

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The Lady of the West takes her sons shopping.

The Lady of the West held tightly to the hands of her two children. She had not wanted to bring them along to the Demon Market, but circumstances were such that she could not trust the two alone.  
  
Sesshomaru scowled as his mother led him along by the hand. InuYasha trailed behind her, trying to stay hidden. Heads turned every time they passed a shopping stall.  
  
"Isn't that?" or, "I heard..."  
  
The rumors buzzed like insects. Such small and annoying sounds.  
  
"Why did we have to bring _him_ along?" her son asked glancing behind him.  
  
"Because," she said gently, "You went too far with your roughhousing."  
  
"It wasn't my fault!" Sesshomaru snapped. "That dumb half-blood he-!"  
  
She let go of her son's hand for just a moment and delivered a firm bonk to his head.  
  
"Ow!"  
  
"Whatever grievances you may have, you must _never_ air them publicly, is that clear?"  
  
"Yes mother," her son muttered.  
  
"InuYasha," she said in a soft command.  
  
"Yes, lady?" his small voice answered.  
  
"Come here."  
  
Swiftly, shyly, he darted from behind her skirts to stand before her.  
  
She smiled at his obedience. He was nervous, but attentive.  She bent down and picked him up.  
  
He gave a small gasp. "Ah!"  
  
"Mother!" Sesshomaru demanded.  
  
She shot her son a warning look.  
  
"Lady... ah, don't... trouble yourself," InuYasha muttered.  
  
"I will not let their words hold power over me," she whispered. "You may not be of my blood, but you were still my choice. Let them see I feel no shame."  
  
"So you don't... hate me?" he murmured.  
  
"No. I asked for you, remember? Rest now, Sesshomaru won't bother you while you sleep near me."  
  
She carried the sleeping boy over her shoulder all throughout the rest of the Demon Market. The whispering stopped.  
  
  
  



	4. The Orphanage

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The Lady wants her son to make friends of his own,so she takes him to Spirit Affairs to meet other children like him.

"Lady Mother, where are we going?" InuYasha asked as he glanced around the unknown location. It was somewhere far, far from their territory. He held tightly to her hand. There were so many new sights and sounds; it was almost overwhelming. It seemed like they had been walking forever.

"We are going to Spirit Affairs," she said with a small smile.

"Where is that?"

"A special place that’s run by a friend of mine. It’s a repurposed orphanage for half-blood children like yourself."

“You mean there are more kids like me?” InuYasha asked in soft awe.

“Yes, there are many in the world.”

“Then how come I’ve never met any of them before?”

The Lady looked serious for a moment. “I did not feel comfortable showing you the kind of life one such as yourself normally lives. So I wanted to make sure I could introduce you to others safely. I trust Kushimatsu will create an ideal environment.”

“Is she a nice lady?” InuYasha asked with a tilt of his head.

"Yes, and very powerful.”

“But not as powerful as you, I’m sure,” InuYasha said with a smirk.

The Lady smiled with pride. “I may not agree with her optimistic ideals, but at least she is trying to advocate for the rights of these children. She’ll fight for them or die trying. Ah, here we are.”

 InuYasha paused. The building was small, but elegant. The wall around it seemed to stretch forever.

“Kushimatsu, I am here," The Lady announced as they stepped through the entrance of the building.

 They were greeted by a fox spirit in a lovely blue kimono. “Ah, it’s a pleasure to see you again Lady of the Western Skies. And is this?”

“This is my son, InuYasha,” The Lady said.

InuYasha bowed awkwardly.

“Ah, he has the ears of a powerful half- blood,” Kushimatsu said

“My ears?” InuYasha said as he instinctively made a grab to hide them. They twitched at the sound of footsteps. He turned to look at the source.

“Ah, "H-hello!" a girl said shyly through the doorway into one of the other rooms. “I um, didn’t realize we had guests. I’ll um! Go get some tea.”

“Wow, a girl,” InuYasha murmured. “She has ears like mine.”

"That is Susukihotaru. She’s a gentle soul," Kushimatsu said.

“Wow, are there more?”

“There is also Zakuro, Bonburi, and Houzuki. They are half-demons like yourself."

“No boys?”

“We do have two, but one is out at the moment and the other is an infant.”

“That’s fine. I can play with girls.”

“I shall fetch them then.”

He was herded into a room with a girl with black hair, and two blond twins. One of which was holding a baby.  Susukihotaru hid behind the smaller girl with black hair. The smaller girl stepped forward. “I’m Zakuro.”

Then the twins must be Bonburi and Houzuki. Not like he could tell which was which.

“I’m I-InuYasha,” he said.

 The small girl sized him up. “Huh? That pretty lady doesn’t _seem_ like the type to mate with a human.”

“Z-Zakuro!” Susukihotaru whimpered.

"My birth mother was a human!" InuYasha snapped.

“Eh?” said Zakuro with shock. “Then what are you doing with that pretty lady?”

“My human mom is dead, but Lady Mother is really nice! She’s taking care of me.”

"Oh. I see. Huh. It's still a little strange for a lady like that to care about the likes of us. She's doesn't have the same air as Kushimatsu."

“Not a single breath of it!” said one of the twins. “Right, Bonburi?”

“Right!”

“Hey, um, Bonburi? What’s with the baby?”

"Ah, he's our little brother! His name is Shippo," she said with a smile. “Isn’t he cute?”

"But he's a full demon right? His ears are different than ours." InuYasha asked.

"So? He’s our half-brother, technically, but we’re still family," Houzuki said. “We’re all foxes, after all.”

"Won't he.... resent you?" he asked.

"Perhaps, but he's still our most precious baby brother and we love him," Bonburi said with a smile.

“Yeah, maybe he won’t be as mean as my big brother. He pushes me around all the time.”

“So? Push back!” Zakuro said.

“I do!”

 Zakuro smirked. “So you _can_ play those kinds of games. Do you want to go?”

“Against you? Sure!”

“Alright! Let’s go!”

Suddenly, the other girls began to sing.

“Hey! No fair!”

“Didn’t you know? Working in a group makes you stronger! Prepare to be bewitched!”

InuYasha watched as Zakuro’s eyes began to glow.

"Wow…" he murmured.

"Don’t you dare look down on me! I won't allow anyone to look down on us, not even one of our own! We have just as much right to exist as anyone else!" Zakuro said.

She charged for him.

InuYasha dodged with some difficulty.  Half-demons like him could really be this powerful? Right now, he needed to look for an opening. If he could just land one blow…

“Here goes nothing!”

“You hit me!” Zakuro snapped as she rubbed her cheek.

“Well, you insulted my Lady Mother!”

Zakuro smiled softly. “Sorry. I know what you mean, though. Of course I miss my mom, but I really love Kushimatsu! Say, do you think you’ll come back and play with us again?”

“Count on it!” he said with a grin.

“My Lady, it appears your idea has worked wonders,” Kushimatsu said through a crack in the door.

The Lady smiled to herself as she drank her tea.


	5. Chapter 5

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> InuYasha goes back to the orphanage to play. This time, Sesshomaru is invited, too.

Mother brought InuYasha back to the orphanage to visit with the other children a week later. Only this time, she also brought Sesshomaru.

“Tsk. What can I, the great Sesshomaru, possibly learn from a pack of impure castoffs?”

 InuYasha saw Zakuro’s ears, so much like his own, flatten.

The twins said nothing, but their eyes were full of possible mischiefs as they tended to their baby brother. It was tempting, to be sure. This pure-blooded child, so small, but so swelled with pride; it’d be okay to pop the bubble just a little bit, right?

Their pranks, while harmless, were not unnoticed.

While the adults talked, and he and Zakuro played, Sesshomaru had: fallen into a bucket of water, had his clothes covered in paint, and his long hair braided deliberately badly.

It was the hair prank that finally set him off.

He had gone full form in the backyard. Teeth bared, his glowing red eyes on the fox twins. InuYasha bounced his ball toward Zakuro. She was watching, but she wasn’t worried. Those two could handle themselves.

Before anything happened, Susukihotaru stepped in the middle of the almost fight.

“Houzuki and Bonbori, apologize to Young Master Sesshomaru.”

“Not until he apologizes first!” they said.

For all her shyness, Susukihotaru did not waver in her gaze. “Well? Surely the Young Master has learned about manners?”

Sesshomaru growled before finally muttering, “….Sorry.”

“We’re sorry, too! We’ll undo all our tricks!” the twins said.

“Want to tussle with me?” Zakuro asked with a grin.

InuYasha caught the ball. “You know it! Ah, but let me tell Mother first!”

The Lady sipped her tea as Kushimatsu talked. InuYasha excitedly explained how he wanted to test his strength against Zakuro.

 Another sip before she answered. “I’ll allow it, but don’t play _too_ roughly. I do not feel like mending your clothes.”

“Yes Mother!” InuYasha said as he bounded off.

Her eyes went to Sesshomaru, who had taken to quietly sitting beside Susukihotaru as she offered him a snack.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> It seems like the LJ communities I used to write these for are withering, so I'm going to slowly finish this series over here.


End file.
